FITTING

FIGURE
FO R E V E R Y

from the editors of

THREADS

CHAPTER

II
WORKING WITH
PATTERNS
AND MUSLIN
Fitting 25
Using a Camera to Fit 31
Make a Muslin 32

ost sewers use commercial patterns when

they make clothing. These patterns are
drafted for standardized figures and usually
need a few adjustments to fit properly. You can alter
pattern circumference by simply changing pattern
size, but youll also likely need to change the length.
Its least complicated to make any length adjustments first. Most patterns are drafted for a person
between 5 ft. 4 in. and 5 ft. 6 in., depending on the
pattern manufacturer. Measure between your shoulder
and waist and compare the length to the pattern. If
the pattern is too long, fold a horizontal pleat below
the bust and above the waist to subtract the extra
length. If the pattern is too short, cut a horizontal
line in the same location, spread it the additional
length needed, and tape paper in the opened space.
Add or subtract the same amount to the front and
back pattern pieces. You can check waist, sleeve, pant,
and skirt lengths as well and make corrections in the
same manner. After adjusting all lengths, change the
circumference measurements, if necessary.
Once youve made the initial alterations to a tissue pattern, try it on. Do this by pinning the tissue
together and fitting it on your body; this is called
tissue-fitting. Alternatively, sew a test garment called
a muslin. For many garments, tissue-fitting, which
involves only a half garment, is sufficient for confirming that lengths and widths are satisfactory. If youre
working on a complex project, such as a fitted gown
or tailored jacket, make a muslin, so you can pinfit and restitch without stressing the fashion fabric
through multiple alterations.
By checking the pattern and then testing your
adjustments before committing them to final fabric,
youll spare yourself hassle and heartache. You can
resolve your fitting issues in practice fabric and can be
sure that the garment fits and flatters perfectly.

Fitting
To get a great fit in clothes you sew, there are two
techniques to try: Tissue-fit the pattern before cutting
into the fabric, which gives you a good idea of how
the pattern will fit and how the resulting garment will
hang, or pin-fit the garment as you sew to refine its
fit. The time you spend on fitting will pay off in great
sewing results.

The Tissue-Fit
Tissue-fitting involves pinning or taping the pressed
pattern pieces together, trying on the paper halfgarment, noting areas that need correcting, making
fitting adjustments to the pattern, and then repeating
the process until youre happy with it. If your body
is fairly symmetrical, you can work with the half pattern and adjust only one side (making the other side
the same), but if youre noticeably different on each
side, copy the pattern pieces so you have a full paper
garment, and tissue-fit the sides individually.
CHECK THE AMOUNT OF EASE

First, decide how much ease you want in your garment. It helps to compare the pattern with an old,
trusted pattern or garment. Check the shoulder
width, neckline, armhole depth, bustline, waist, hip,
and length. If you know your figure irregularities, you
can begin to adjust for them before you tissue-fit.
PREPARE THE PATTERN

Join pattern pieces with Scotch Removable Tape

(blue label), which can be positioned over and over,
or simply pin the pattern together. Patterns without
seam allowances, like Neue Mode and older Burda
patterns, are easy to tape together and tissue-fit, and
will give very accurate results.

25

chapter two

Patternwork Principles
There are several key points in the anatomy of a pattern. And because
they are universal to all garments, they exist on almost every pattern you use.
Use the principles listed here as a guide or checklist to proofread your patterns,
and youll eliminate many initial pattern glitches. As you apply these principles,
your mastery of pattern alterations will develop, and youll enjoy sewing
better-fitting garments.
Key Reference Points
The upper shoulder pointwhere a jewel neckline
crosses the shoulder seamis the key pattern reference point on a garment. The garment hangs from
this point, and it marks where you should begin
most length and depth measurements.

Lengthwise grainlines usually run parallel with the

center front and center back lines, and perpendicular to the hipline and biceps line.

At the point where two pattern-piece corners join

front to backfor example, at a pants waist side
seam, the underarm side seam, or each end of a
shoulder seamthe combined corner angles equal
180 degrees, usually from the right angles at each
corner. This prevents seams from having undesirable bumps at the edge.

On contoured body styles, when the side seam

angles in or out, or the garment is A-line or flared,
use a curved hem. This is true for bodices, coats,
skirts, and any garment that flares or angles.

A standard jewel neckline width is approximately

one third of the total shoulder width. The front
neckline depth is approximately half of the neck
width. The back neckline is generally 34 in. deep
on most sizes.

Darts must always point toward the apex on the

body (i.e., the bust point), but they dont reach it.
Keep the dart point 1 2 in. to 114 in. from the apex
so it ends gracefully and doesnt accentuate the
bust point.

26

Use seam allowances on large darts and fold and

sew smaller darts as a wedge. Removing the extra
fabric provides a smoother fit.

The shoulder slope is essentially a dart, hidden

in the seam, allowing the garment to hang on the
straight of grain. The slope on your pattern must
match your own shoulder slope for a bodice to fit
properly.

When adding more than 11 2 in. of flare to a pattern

piece (to each garment quadrant), make the addition internally, not on the side seam. The allowable
amount of flare you can successfully add at the
side seam increases as the pattern piece becomes
longer. Adding excessive flare at the side seams can
leave you with a garment that looks like it has fins.

The front waistline is generally longer than the back

by approximately 1 in. Conversely, the back hipline
is longer on the back by the same amount.
Armholes
Alter the armhole first and then adjust the sleeve cap.
The proper armhole fit makes the whole bodice hang
better. And of course, the right armhole is essential
for a properly fitted sleeve.

The upper chest width is generally narrower than

its corresponding shoulder point. On a size 10, the
armhole curves in approximately in. to 3 8 in. on
each side.

The front armhole angles toward the center front

from the shoulder point down about two-thirds of
the armhole depth before starting its curve around
to the side seam.

working with pattern s a n d m u s l i n

The back armhole curves toward the side seam

halfway down the armhole depth. You need the
greater scoop in the front to accommodate forward
arm movement.

The lower armhole flattens for approximately a

quarter of the armhole inset. As garments become
less fitted, the lower armhole points drop and widen.
Sleeves and Sleeve Caps
When you alter an armhole, its likely that both the
sleeve cap and the biceps length of the sleeve need
to change, too.

Commercial pants and skirts generally have, on

each side, one dart in the front and two darts in the
back. The front hip curve is a sharper curve than
the back, and is essentially a hidden dart. Front
darts generally drop 3 in., and back darts drop 5 in.

To allow for longer crotch lengths that accommodate a full abdomen or buttocks, raise the center
front or back seam above the normal waistline.

The sleeve cap height on a fitted garment measures

approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the
length of the armhole depth, which is measured
vertically from the shoulder point to the underarm.

When you deepen an armhole, you need to increase

the biceps circumference and shorten the cap,
creating a looser-fitting sleeve.

When you increase the width of a garment at the

side seam (resulting in a greater armhole inset on
the pattern), the cap height of the sleeve needs to
increase.
Pants and Skirts
Pants and skirt patterns offer opportunities to hide
darts in seams, which can be helpful once you know
where theyre located.

The side seam curve on pants and skirts should

curve to the depth of the fullest part of the hip, and
then fall straight. The fullest part on some people
may be the abdomen or thighs.

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CHAPTER TWO

For patterns with seam allowances, its easiest to

fold back one seam allowance (clipping the edge, if
needed) and lap it over the second one, matching the
seamlines. Reinforce the clipped area with tape or
fusible interfacing when youre ready to cut out the
garment.
To prepare the pattern, attach the bodice front and
back at the sides and shoulders. If your pattern has a
skirt, attach it to the bodice, matching seamlines. Pin
the sleeve together, and attach the cuff, if any. Pin up
the hemlines, then pin a length of seam tape or ribbon around the waistline of the pattern. On a closefitting garment, put the ribbon on the outside; on a
loose-fitting garment, pin the ribbon loosely to the
inside to hold it at the waistline. If you plan to use a
shoulder pad, pin it in place now.
TRY ON THE TISSUE

Wearing the underwear and any clothing youll wear

beneath the finished garment, slip the tissue on your
body and tie the ribbon around your waist. Pin or
tape the pattern to your clothing at the neckline,
bust, waist, and hip, in front and back. Slip the sleeve
on and pin it to the bodice at match points in the
front armhole and shoulder. You can ask for help or
work alone.

Try on the taped

pattern tissue.

Now, evaluate your pattern in front of a full-length

mirror, using a hand mirror to see the back. Since a
pattern hangs from the shoulders, begin at the top
and check the following points:
The shoulder seam should lie on the top of the
shoulder and end at the shoulder point, so adjust
as needed.
Bust darts should point to the bust and end
before its fullest point.
Check to make sure the pattern tissue reaches
the center front and center back. If it doesnt, let
out the side seams.
Vertical seams should hang perpendicular to the
floor. If they dont, adjust them at the shoulders
or waist.
The sleeve should fit comfortably around the
arm; check to be sure that any elbow shaping
actually occurs at the elbow.
Bend your arm to check the length.
In many instances, youll need to raise the cap of
the sleeve, as well as the sleeve/bodice underarm
seam, to increase mobility. If you end up with
too much cap, or if the underarm is too high,
cut off the excess during assembly.
The seam tape or ribbon around the waist makes
it easy to check the bodice length. Lifting your
shoulders without tearing the tissue ensures a
comfortable amount of blousing.
ADJUST AND REFIT

Take the paper pattern off and make any necessary

adjustments to it, then try the tissue on again and
check the fit. When youre finally happy with the
pattern, youre ready to cut the fabric, but be sure to
leave generous seam allowances in the fitting seams
(shoulder, side, waistline, and sleeve) for any additional adjustments you make as you sew. (If youre
working with expensive fabric and you have any
doubts, make a trial garment first.)

TIP

28

If your body is fairly symmetrical, you

can work with the half-pattern and
adjust only one side, but if youre noticeably different on each side, copy the
pattern pieces and tissue-fit each side.

WORKING WITH PATTERN S A N D M U S L I N

The Pin-Fit
As you sew your garment, pin-fit to customize the fit.
Your choice of fabric influences the fit, and one alteration may affect or correct another. As soon as you
assemble the main pieces of the garment, try it on
right side out and check the fit. Dont overfityour
garment should allow you to move comfortably.
Since pin-fitting is done on the right side of the
garment, youll need to transfer changes accurately
to the wrong side in order to incorporate them into
your construction and blend the new seamline with
the original one. A fast method of stitching a pin-fitted
seamline is to slip-baste the seam as shown in the
bottom left drawing, then open and machine-stitch
on the basted line. The drawback is that its difficult
to transfer changes to the other side of the garment
or to the pattern.
For a marking method thats easy to transfer to the
other side, use pins or thread tracing to mark both
sides of the corrected seam, where the two fabric layers touch. You can refer to these points as the touch

(where the fold touches the underlayer) and the turn

(where the upper layer folds), as shown in the bottom
right drawing. After marking, remove the pins and
make the adjustment on the other side of the garment
and on the tissue. Stitch the pin-fitted seams on the
new seamlines.
Pin-Fit Fixes

The following are some fine-tuning suggestions that

are useful when pin-fitting a garment:
ESTABLISH BODY WIDTHS

Chest, waist, and hip fitting depends on vertical

seams. Take them in, or let them out until the wrinkles or drag lines ease. Correct the fit in body width
by letting out or taking in vertical seams.
FIT THE SHOULDER

Lift to smooth the front chest area. You may have to

drop the armhole after this. A bad fit in the shoulder
often reveals itself in a drag line across the chest.
FIX THE CHEST

Scoop the armhole section that joins the bodice as

it crosses the chest. This most-common fit problem

TWO WAYS TO PIN-FIT

SLIP-BASTE THE SEAM

TRANSFER CHANGES EASILY

Touch

Turn

Mark the altered seamline to stitch it. Slip-baste to mark.

Working from right to left, pick up thread on back layer, insert
needle in fold of front layer, and pull through to complete
stitch. Repeat to end. Remove the garment, then open and
machine-stitch on the basted line.

Pin or thread-trace along the touch and turn. Remove the

pins, mark seam changes on the other half of the garment,
and stitch the new seams.

29

CHAPTER TWO

happens when there is too much width right above

the chest. Reduce the width across the chest by shaving fabric from the front armhole.

Always pin your sleeves with the seam allowance

turned inward as if it were sewn in. Give a little pinch
for the ease in the front and back of your shoulder.

If there are smile lines in front, release the inseam

at the back crotch to give enough saddle for the inner
thigh. Not all back-rise length problems are at the
waist. This problem is best resolved in the muslinfitting stage, but if you have your final garment
already cut and basted, you can add a wedge along
the straight grain to the back leg at the top of the
inseam.

CHECK THE PANTS

CURVE DARTS

Try lifting the center back to smooth out drag lines

under the seat.

You may want to curve the shoulder seams and bust

and hip darts so that they fit the contours of your

ADJUST THE SLEEVE CAP AND ARMHOLE

ESTABLISH BODY WIDTHS

FIT THE SHOULDER

ADJUST THE SLEEVE CAP

Drag lines

Drag line

Drag lines across the chest or back

can be an indication of a bad fit in the
shoulders.
CHECK THE PANTS

Pinch for ease.

You can correct wrinkles or drag lines

across the chest, back, waist, and hip by
letting out or taking in vertical seams.
Center front

Be sure to add a pinch for ease in the

front and back of the sleeve cap seam.

Center back
Saddle width

Drag line

A drag line under the seat can sometimes

be eliminated by taking in the upper
inseam on the back seam allowance.

30

Add an extension to
the back crotch
on the straight grain
to get rid of a backrise length problem.

WORKING WITH PATTERN S A N D M U S L I N

body. Check the ease in the bustline and the fit across
the back and at the waistline.
Also, check the hang of the sleeve. Check to see
that front and back sleeve seamlines appear vertical,
and make sure that you can move your arms to the
front and back comfortably.

Using a Camera
to Fit
One of the most useful fitting aids available today is a
digital camera. It enables you to keep a visual record
of fittings to serve as a reference to the corrections
needed.

Getting the Most

Useful Photographs
Photograph yourself as you stand comfortably
without distorting your muslin test garment.
Shoot the entire garment: front, back, and side.
Fill the frame as much as possible. If you dont

have someone who can snap your pictures, you

can take them yourself in the mirror. Its best if
you have a full-length mirror for skirts, pants,
and dresses. To minimize glare, be sure to override your cameras flash.
Shoot at the highest resolution possible; this
allows you to zoom in on areas of interest later
when you study your photos for fitting clues.
Analyze the Photos

Your digital photos will reveal many more telltale

wrinkles than you would see in the mirror. Note the
areas that seem to need work, and zoom in to take
a better look. Print the photos you want to examine
closely, and save the photos so you can refer to them
as you work on your pattern adjustments.
Look for drag lines, which occur when one area
of a garment is pulling. They point your eye to the
source of the problem.
Wrinkles form when a garment is too tight or too
loose. If its too loose, try lifting the area or pinching
it in to see if the excess can be eliminated. If the garment is too tight, extra fabric is needed in the seams.

When evaluating the muslin or the final cut, stand in front of a mirror and use a digital camera to take snapshots, then use
the images to record and analyze your changes.

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CHAPTER TWO

Make a Muslin
Sometimes, the fear of making a mistake can actually
lead to procrastination. Whipping up a test garment
in muslin is an excellent way to end your procrastination woes. But a muslin does not have to be made
of muslin. Any inexpensive fabric works. Just pick a
weight thats similar to the fashion fabric youre using.
If youre sewing a knit, use a knit. Even old fabric
you have on hand works. By creating a muslin, you
can experiment with the pattern and happily make
mistakes, without fear of ruining expensive fabric. It
might sound like twice the work, but in fact, it halves
the potential frustration of sewing blind with your
fashion fabric.
Once you sew a muslin, youll become a convert.
Why? Because practice makes perfect and stressfree sewing. Think of a muslin test garment as the
practice session of the sewing worldit allows you
to explore techniques and fine-tune and streamline
the garment-making process. It offers spot-on fit
and style, down to the hems. With a muslin test garment, you can take in, let out, and otherwise tweak
the fit allowing you to spare wear and tear on your

A muslin made from inexpensive fabric.

Preparing the Muslin Pattern and Yardage

A properly marked pattern and pressed muslin are essential to the creation of an accurate test garment.
DETERMINING THE SEAMLINES
Locate the seamlines on your commercial pattern.
With the advent of multisize patterns, seamlines are
no longer printed on commercial patterns; typically,
theyre 5 8 in. in from the cutting lines, but always
check the pattern instructions. Measure in from the
cutting line for your size using a ruler, and mark all the
seamlines on your pattern.
Before you move on to the fabric, make any necessary adjustments, such as length or size alterations, to
the paper pattern. Youll refine things later, of course,
but if there are changes that you know youll have to
make, such as bodice and sleeve length adjustments,
now is the time to make them.

32

PREPARING MUSLIN FABRIC

Unless youre working on a particularly wide skirt or
bias garment, 45-in.-wide unbleached muslin fabric is
sufficient and is easier to handle than wider fabrics.
Dont get anything too thin or too thick; some muslin
is so thick that its difficult to pin through, and thats
too inflexible for your purposes.
It isnt necessary to prewash the muslin fabric, but
you must steam it thoroughly so it doesnt shrink.
Press it carefully, and be sure to align the selvages
perfectly. Pin the selvages together to ensure that the
fold is on the vertical straight of grain.

WORKING WITH PATTERN S A N D M U S L I N

fashion fabric. Because you adjust fit and figure out

hem placement in a muslin, you dont need to leave
extra fabric in the seam and hem allowances. By testing your seam placement first, you wont have to rip
out stitches, which can leave behind tiny pinpricks or
tears and can stretch seams.
In the long run, a test garment saves time. A muslin test run may add a little extra time at the beginning of the pattern-fabric relationship, but think of
it as the ultimate icebreakerits a way to slowly get
to know a pattern, learn its idiosyncrasies, and coax it
into shape before committing to it in fashion fabric.

2. Press all seam allowances as you would in a final

garment. You can cut many corners in a muslin, but never skip pressing steps. Press the seam
allowances open, and then press again from the
right side of the garment. Whenever possible,
dont trim or clip seam allowances in the muslin,
as you might need to let out seams in the fitting
process.
Try it on to evaluate the fit, style, and length.
If youre fitting the test garment on yourself, enlist
the help of a buddy. If the fit looks strange across
the shoulders, sew on the other sleeve for a clearer
view of where the fit is going wrong.

Simple Steps to Make a Muslin

Crafting a test garment out of scrap fabric is really
quite easy. Begin by choosing a size using the measurement chart on the pattern as your guide, and
press all pattern pieces with a warm, dry ironfolds
and wrinkles can affect the fit. Then cut out the
main garment pieces. No need to spend time on
cuffs, facings, or pockets, unless it is a section of the
garment you particularly want to practice or check.
Be sure to cut two sleeves. (Youll sew and attach one
sleeve first, then check the fit. Only if things look too
tight or too loose across the shoulders do you need to
attach the other sleeve.)
Mark darts, grainlines, waist, and bust points with
permanent marker. Mark the center front lines, zipper
or buttonhole placement, and the seamlines too,
if you like. Mark pocket outlines directly on the
muslin to judge placement. Baste hemlines, because
the line of thread is easier to feel and press; staystitch
the neck edges by sewing a line of straight stitches on
the seamline.

Baste with long machine stitches.

1. Baste the garment pieces together using long

stitches; press. Following your pattern instructions, construct the garment, skipping steps for
details you didnt include. Dont sew closures;
simply pin those closed. Press up, and loosely pin
the hems. To make stitch removal easy, back-tack
only at stress points.
Dont include facings. Press seam allowances open.

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chapter two

3. Pin out any changes or release basting stitches.

Write any notes directly on the muslin. Pin any

changes. When satisfied with the fit and style,
remove the garment, and lay it flat on a hard
surface.

4. Mark the pinned sections with a permanent

marker. Using a dotted line, mark both sides of

pinned alterations.
5. Release the pins, press, and transfer changes.

Measure the differences between the original

markings and your adjustment marks. Transfer
these changes to your pattern. If you make major
adjustments, you might want to make another test
garment to double-check the fit.
Label and save your muslins. There is no need to
start from scratch every time: A muslin doesnt take
up much room, and it will come in handy months or
years down the road when you want to sew a favorite
pattern in a different fabric. If youve lost or gained
weight, or wish to make subtle style changes, you can
just shake out the muslin, try it on, then make minor
adjustments. Just be sure to write the date, pattern
name, and size directly on the muslin in permanent
marker before you store it away.

tip

Get a smooth start. Before you cut,

press your muslin fabric, and make sure
it is on-grain so you can cut your pattern
accordingly.

Pin to take in seams.

4

Mark pinned sections.

Measure the distance of the change, and transfer the alteration to your pattern.

34

working with pattern s a n d m u s l i n

Possible Fit Adjustments to a Muslin

A

New
seamline

New seamline

Take in loose seams. If a section is too loose, pin it to

fit, and mark the new seamline.

Loosen tight seams. If a section is too tight, open the

seam, then pin and mark the new seamline.

Dart
Original waistline

Side seam

New waistline placement

Adjust darts. Pin them in place during the fitting,

then mark any changes carefully.

Adjust design lines. Assess the design elements

and adjust them as necessary. Here, the waistline was
lowered, which altered the dress proportions.

35